Cookies

Cookies are small text files that usually contain two bits of information: a site name and unique user ID. They are just text – not coding and not computer programs. Cookies are stored on your computer’s hard drive but cannot read other information stored there.

When you visit a website for the first time, a cookie is set on your computer. Then when you revisit the site in future, your computer will check if you’ve been there before. With repeat visits, your computer sends the information in the text file back to the site.

When a cookie is set, its effects vary depending on the website and what you’ve agreed to. Some examples of how cookies work on different sites include:

Setting layout or colour preferences
Remembering items in online shopping carts
Recording time spent on a particular web page
Changing content so visitors see different content.
The ARHM uses cookies on this website to monitor site usage. That means we can see what’s working well and what needs improving and adapt our site content accordingly. We do not use cookies to identify individuals and don’t plan to do this. We do not store personal information in cookies and don’t plan to do this.

You can choose whether to enable or disable cookies when you visit this website. Please bear in mind that some parts of the site won’t work if you disable cookies. For example, we won’t be able to gauge which pages people like and dislike; also, you won’t be able to subscribe to forms on our site and may miss out on updates.

The cookies we use

The cookies used on The ARHM website are what are widely known as ‘performance cookies’. We use them to analyse how people use our websites and to monitor site performance. This means we can customise our site content and fix any problems that arise. Further details are shown below.

Google Analytics (cookie names _utma, _utmb, _utmc, _utmz)

We use Google Analytics to collect information about how many people use our site, which pages they visit and how long they spend on each page. The ARHM then produces reports and looks for ways to improve our site (for example, revising content or improving user journeys.)

You can find more information about Google Analytics.

Website cookie acceptance

Cookie Control enables us to comply with UK and EU law on cookies, in a couple of quick and easy steps. Proudly developed in Scotland by CIVIC.

This records whether a user has accepted use of cookies on our website. Only visits with accepted cookies get monitored.

Disabling cookies

If you choose to disable cookies on this website, we will record this. We will set a cookie to say ‘no more cookies’, that way we can remember and respect your preferences. Most of our website will still work and we won’t be able to see what pages you’ve visited.

If you view our site on another browser or using another device – or delete cookies on your computer – you may have to reset your preferences.

Ignoring cookies

On 26 May 2011, a new UK law was introduced – the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) (Amendment) Regulations 2011. This law came into full effect on 26 May 2012 and is regulated by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO for short).

If you choose to ignore the message on our site, we will continue to set cookies unless you tell us not to. We believe that follows the guidance set by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Please visit the cookie guidance page of the ICO website for further information